Brace-and-bit gage



` (No Model.) Y

C. 'WHITUS, J. Wj-WILKS 8v N. JA; WHITUS.` v BRAGB AND BIT GAGE.

No. 52199-7. Patented Jun-e 26, 1894.

UNITED 4STATES lPATENT Enron.

CHARLES WHITUS, JOHN W. WILKS, AND NANCY J. VHITUS, OF CHESTER,

' SOUTH CAROLINA.

BRACE-AND-BIT GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,997, dated June2,6, 1894. Y Application iiled August 18. 1893. Serial No. 433.489. (Nomodel.)

To au whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES WHITUS, JOHN W. WrLks, and NANCY JANEWHITUs, citizens of the United States, residing at Chester, in thecounty of Chester and State of South Carolina, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Brace-and-Bit Gages; and we do hereby declarethe following to bea full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Our invention is a new brace and bit gage and consists in the-,novelconstruction and arrangement of its parts.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view of our invention,showing' the manner in which it is attached to the brace. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the slotted arm A, having the right angle ring foota. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a nutfor clamping the arms A, and c,together and provided with loop f, through which the bit Works. Fig. tisa perspective view of a sleeve provided with an integral slotted arm c,having cross arms c2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the arm A, withoutthe slot a'. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of adjustable slotted slideblock forsecuring the arms A and c, together and holding the bit chuckbetween sleeve C, and itself and is provided with a loop for the bit towork through.

Our invention is described as follows: It consists of an arm A, havingon its outer end a ring foot a, extending at right angles to the body ofthe arm. Said arm A, may be solid as shown in Fig. 5, or it may beprovided with an elongated slot a', running nearly the entire length ofthe arm.

B, represents the bit chuck of the brace which regulates and secures themeans which holds the bit b, in place.

C, is an open sleeve which surrounds and clasps the bit chuck B, aroundits smaller part, and owing to the fact that it is open it can be madeto fit, by expansion or contraction, a larger or smaller bit chuck.Extending from the forward end of said sleeve and integral therewith isan arm c, which is bent up to escape the larger part of the bit chuck,said arm is provided with a longitudinal slot c', and at its extreme endare smaller cross arms c2, extending from the sides of said arm c, whichin use are bent up over the arm A, as guides to hold it in place.

D, represents -a nut provided with the ears d, between which and on theface d', the arms A, and c, rest and move. In the upper face of the nutis fitted a thumb screw e, provided with a washer c', said thumb screwpasses 6o through the slots a', and c', the washer e', working againstthe arm A. By this means we can move the said arm A, up and down, thussetting the gage at any desired depth.

The nut D, is provided with a thimble or ,65 loop f, through which thebit b, works. This thimble or loop is for the purpose of holding thegage firmly in place when great pressure is brought against the ringfoot a, as the bit enters the Wood. If it were not for said nut 7o thegage would slip up as the sleeve C, its loosely around the neck of thebrace head, and the loop f, prevents the 'arms A, and c, largely fromspringing laterally when the foot o., strikes the wood. 7

D', represents an adjustable slotted slide block as used when we use thearms A, and c,without the slots, in which case the said arms passthrough the slot g, and under the arch g', and washer g2 and are heldfirmly to- 8o gether by means of said washer, which firmly presses themtogether by means of a thumb screw g3, or any other equivalent device.Said adjustable slotted slide block forms the treble function of holdingthe arm A, fromspringing out of place, of securing the bit chuck betweensleeve C, and itself, and of securing the relative adjustment of arms A,and c.v

The arm A, may be moved up or down and the bit b, can bore no deeperthan the dis- 9o tance between its outer end and the ring foot a, of thegage. When the foot strikes the wood, being bored into, we give the bittwo or more turns which breaks the hold of the. screws from the wood. Wethen, without turning the bit backward, pull it out of the bored holeand it brings with it the chips and thus clears the hole. Heretofore ithas been the custom, when the hole was bored deep enough, to turn thebit backward'two or three Ico times to release it from its hold in theWood and then draw it out, leaving part of the chips in the hole.

The open sleeve of our invention lits all bit chucks that screw off andon and, therefore, the gage is always ready for use, and owing,

to the fact that our gage is secured to the bit chuck We can gage thesmallest and shortest bits Or drills. Other gages, when they strike theWood, continue to turn and thus mark and deface the surface. When ourgage strikes the Wood it stops turning and restssolidly against thewood; the point of friction being centrally located where the point ofthe bit chuck meets the upper face of the adjustable slotted slideblock.

l. The bit gage, consisting of the adjustable arm A, having the ringfoot a, at right angles with said arm; arm c, adapted to be adj ustablysecured to said arm A; open sleeve C, integral with or rigidly securedto the rear end of said arm c, and adapted to embrace and clasp a largeor small bit chuck, B; and an adjustable slotted slide block D',embracing the arm A, and the arm c, having a face bearing against theface of the bit chuck, and having a clamping means securing the relativeadjustment of arms A, and c, and also securing said slide block to holdthe bit chuck between sleeve C, and said block, substantiallyas shownand described and for the purposes set forth. p

2. The bit gage, consisting of the adjustable arm A, having the ringfoot a, at right angles with said arm; arm c, adapted to be adj ustablysecured to said arm A; adjustable slottedslide block D', having a facebearing against the face of the bit chuck, and a mortise for said armsto Work through, and a Washer g2, working in said mortise provided withflanges, and a thumb-screw g3, for secur-` ing said arms together; andloop f, for the bit b, to work through; and sleeve C, integral with orrigidly secured tO the rear end of said arm c, and adapted to embraceand clasp a large or small bit chuck, B, substantially as shown anddescribed and forthe purposes set forth.

3. The bit gage, consisting of the adjustable arm A, having the ringfoot a, at right angles with said arm; arm c, provided with cross armsto embrace arm A; said arm adapted to be adjustably secured to said armA; adjustable slotted slide block D', having a face bearing against theface of the bit chuck, and a mortise for said arms to Work through, anda washer g2, Working in said mortise provided with flanges, and a thumbscrew g8, for securing said arms together; and loop f, for the bit b, toWork through; and sleeve C, integral 6o with or rigidly secured to therear end of said y ar'm c, and adapted to embrace and clasp a large orsmall bit chuck, l?, substantially as shown and described and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix ou r signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.`

CHARLES WHI'rUs. JOHN W. WILKs. NANCY J. Wnirus.

Witnesses:

GRAHAM L. GORDON, ANNIE A. LANsDALE.

